Serhildan
Encyclopedia
Serhildan designate several Kurdish public rebellions
since the 1990s with the slogan "Êdî Bese" ("Enough") against Turkey. The protestors use mainly stones, concrete paving stones, Molotov cocktail
s, slingshot
s and other materials as throwing objects and since the end of November 2009 also skyrocket
s. Local shops are often closed on the day of demonstrations, as a form of protest.
Protests are held every year on 15 February, the date of Abdullah Öcalan
's capture and on 21 March, the Kurdish New Year.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
has thus far refused to acknowledge the demands of the protests, calling them a conspiracy, by an alleged Ergenekon
–PKK axis.
words ser that means head and hildan that means raise. So the meaning is for "raising" or "rebellion". In Zazaki
the rebellion means Serewedaritiş.
, Sheikh Said rebellion
, Ararat rebellion and Dersim rebellion
occurred in 1990 in the Southeast Anatolian town Nusaybin near the border to Syria
the first violent action by the populace against police officers and state institutions. The rebellion in Nusaybin is the beginning of Serhildan, during the following days the riots initially widened to other cities of the province Mardin
and to the neighboring provinces Batman
, Diyarbakır
, Siirt
, Şanlıurfa
and Şırnak
, and later to other Eastern Anatolian provinces such as Bingöl
, Bitlis
, Hakkâri
, Muş
and Van
, as well cities such as Ankara
, Istanbul
, İzmir
and Mersin
.
Since the major riots in 1990 rebellions sometimes occur sporadically, especially after liquidation of PKK fighters, 21 March (Newroz
) for the year or 27 November (date of establishment of the PKK) for the year. The riots took the end of November 2009 again and continued without interruption until mid-December. The reason was that the prison cell of Abdullah Öcalan
on İmralı
was too small and the proportions of him were bad. Following the closure of the Kurdish party DTP
on 11 December 2009 worsened the situation further. The rising total cost three people their lives. A 23-year-old Kurdish student was killed by a police officer in Diyarbakır
and the other two were killed in Bulanık
from a shopkeeper, because his shop was pelted with Molotov cocktails by the rebels. About 50 people were injured in the riots and over 100 people were arrested.
Kurdish rebellions
According to Turkish military records, Kurdish rebellions have been taking place in Anatolia for over two centuries.-Koçkiri rebellion, 1920:...
since the 1990s with the slogan "Êdî Bese" ("Enough") against Turkey. The protestors use mainly stones, concrete paving stones, Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
s, slingshot
Slingshot
A slingshot, shanghai, flip, bean shooter or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame held in the off hand, with two rubber strips attached to the uprights. The other ends of the strips lead back to a pocket which holds the projectile...
s and other materials as throwing objects and since the end of November 2009 also skyrocket
Skyrocket
A skyrocket is a type of firework that uses a solid rocket motor to rise quickly into the sky. At the apex of its ascent, it is usual for a variety of effects to be emitted...
s. Local shops are often closed on the day of demonstrations, as a form of protest.
Protests are held every year on 15 February, the date of Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
's capture and on 21 March, the Kurdish New Year.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
has thus far refused to acknowledge the demands of the protests, calling them a conspiracy, by an alleged Ergenekon
Ergenekon
Ergenekon is the name of the place where Nekuz and Qiyan and their wives escaped to, and who were the original Mongols in Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh written by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani at the beginning of the 14th century...
–PKK axis.
Etymology
Serhildan consist of the KurdishKurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
words ser that means head and hildan that means raise. So the meaning is for "raising" or "rebellion". In Zazaki
Zazaki language
Zazaki is an Indo-European language spoken primarily in eastern Turkey. According to Ethnologue, the language is a part of the northwestern group of the Iranian section of the Indo-European family. Zazaki shares many features, structures, and vocabulary with Gorani, Talyshi and other Caspian...
the rebellion means Serewedaritiş.
History
After the large Kurdish rebellions in early to mid 20th Century, the Koçkiri rebellionKoçkiri Rebellion
The Koçgiri Rebellion or Koçkiri Rebellion was a Alevi uprising in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence, in the overwhelmingly militant Dersim region...
, Sheikh Said rebellion
Sheikh Said rebellion
Sheikh Said Rebellion was a rebellion of a Kurdish clergy Sheikh Said and a group of former Kurdish Hamidieh soldiers in 1925.-Background:The Azadî was dominated by officers from the former Hamidiye, a Kurdish tribal militia established...
, Ararat rebellion and Dersim rebellion
Dersim Rebellion
The Dersim rebellion was an uprising against the Turkish government in the Dersim region of eastern Turkey, which includes Tunceli Province, Elazığ Province, and Bingöl Province...
occurred in 1990 in the Southeast Anatolian town Nusaybin near the border to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
the first violent action by the populace against police officers and state institutions. The rebellion in Nusaybin is the beginning of Serhildan, during the following days the riots initially widened to other cities of the province Mardin
Mardin Province
Mardin Province is a province of Turkey with a population of 744,606. The population was 835,173 in 2000. The capital of the Mardin Province is Mardin...
and to the neighboring provinces Batman
Batman Province
Batman Province is a Turkish province southeast of Anatolia. The province's population exceeded 500,000 in 2010.The province is important because of its reserves and production of oil which was started in the 1940s. There is a 494-km long oil pipeline from Batman to the Turkish port of İskenderun....
, Diyarbakır
Diyarbakir Province
Diyarbakır Province is a province in eastern Turkey. The province covers an area of 15,355 km² and the population is 1,528,958. The provincial capital is Diyarbakir...
, Siirt
Siirt Province
Siirt Province is a province of Turkey, located in the southeast. The province borders Bitlis to the north, Batman to the west, Mardin to the southwest, Şırnak to the south, and Van to the east. It has an area of 5,406 km² and a total population of 300,695...
, Şanlıurfa
Sanliurfa Province
Şanlıurfa Province or simply Urfa Province is a province in Southeast Anatolia, Turkey. The city of Şanlıurfa is the capital of the province which bears its name. The population is 1,663,371 ....
and Şırnak
Şırnak Province
The Şırnak Province is a Turkish province in southeastern Anatolia. It has a population of 430,109 . The population was 353,197 in 2000....
, and later to other Eastern Anatolian provinces such as Bingöl
Bingöl Province
Bingöl Province is a province of Turkey in Eastern Anatolia. The province was created in 1946 out of parts of Elazığ and Erzincan. The new province was known as Çapakçur Province until 1950. Its neighbouring provinces are Tunceli, Erzurum, Muş, Diyarbakır, Erzincan and Elazığ. The province covers...
, Bitlis
Bitlis Province
Bitlis Province is a province of eastern Turkey, located to the west of Lake Van.-History:Bitlis was formed as an administrative district in the 17th Century...
, Hakkâri
Hakkari Province
Hakkâri Province is a province in the south east corner of Turkey. The administrative centre is located in the city of Hakkâri . The province covers an area of 7,121 km² and has a population of 251,302 . The province had a population of 236,581 in 2000.The province was created in 1936 out of...
, Muş
Mus Province
Muş Province is a province in eastern Turkey. It is 8,196 km² in area, and has a population of 406,886 . The population was 453,654 in 2000. The provincial capital is the city of Muş...
and Van
Van Province
Van Province is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. It is 19,069 km2 in area and had a population of 1,035,418 at the end of 2010....
, as well cities such as Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
and Mersin
Mersin
-Mersin today:Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper , huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban...
.
Since the major riots in 1990 rebellions sometimes occur sporadically, especially after liquidation of PKK fighters, 21 March (Newroz
Nowruz
Nowrūz is the name of the Iranian New Year in Iranian calendars and the corresponding traditional celebrations. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year....
) for the year or 27 November (date of establishment of the PKK) for the year. The riots took the end of November 2009 again and continued without interruption until mid-December. The reason was that the prison cell of Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
on İmralı
Imrali
İmralı is a small Turkish island located in the south of the Sea of Marmara, west of Armutlu-Bozburun peninsula within Bursa Province. It served from 1999 until 2009 as a maximum-security prison island for its only inmate, Abdullah Öcalan...
was too small and the proportions of him were bad. Following the closure of the Kurdish party DTP
Democratic Society Party
The Democratic Society Party was a Kurdish Kurdish nationalist political party in Turkey. The party considered itself social democratic, and had observer status in the Socialist International. It was considered to be the successor of the Democratic People's Party...
on 11 December 2009 worsened the situation further. The rising total cost three people their lives. A 23-year-old Kurdish student was killed by a police officer in Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
and the other two were killed in Bulanık
Bulanik
Bulanık is a town and district of Muş Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The current mayor is Ziya Akkaya . He is under governor Ferit Görükmez Kaymakamı....
from a shopkeeper, because his shop was pelted with Molotov cocktails by the rebels. About 50 people were injured in the riots and over 100 people were arrested.
Leading Figures
- Abdullah ÖcalanAbdullah ÖcalanAbdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
- Murat KarayılanMurat KarayilanMurat Karayılan is the current acting leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party.He has been the PKK's acting leader ever since its original founder and leader, Abdullah Öcalan, was captured in 1999....
- Ahmet Fehmi Işıklar
- Vahdet Aydin
- Murat Bozlak
- Ahmet TürkAhmet TürkAhmet Türk is a Kurdish politician in Turkey. He was the chairman of the former pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party in Turkey and was a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. On December 11, 2009, the Constitutional Court of Turkey voted to ban the DTP, accusing it of connection with PKK...
- Aysel TuğlukAysel TuğlukAysel Tuğluk is a Zaza speaking Kurdish politician of the former Democratic Society Party in Turkey. She graduated in law from Istanbul University and then worked as a lawyer...
- Leyla ZanaLeyla ZanaLeyla Zana , is a Kurdish politician, who was imprisoned for 10 years for her political actions which were claimed to be against the unity of Turkey. When she was a member of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, she was banned from joining any political party for five years with the Constitutional...
- Selim SadakSelim SadakSelim Sadak, is a Turkish politician of Kurdish origin, currently the mayor of Siirt.Selim Sadak graduated from the Mathematics department of Diyarbakır Eğitim Enstitüsü...
- Selahattin DemirtaşSelahattin DemirtaşSelahattin Demirtaş is a Turkish-speaking pro-Kurdish politician whose parent speak Zazaki language. He became the chairman of Peace and Democracy Party in January 2010....
- Gülten Kışanak
- Nurettin DemirtaşNurettin DemirtaşNurettin Demirtaş is a contemporary Zaza speaking Kurdish politician of the Peace and Democracy Party .He grew up and attended secondary school in Diyarbakır. He then studied business at university in Muğla, where he was arrested in 1993 for his political activities. He spent the following 12...
Timeline
- March 14, 1990, about 5,000 protestors gathered at the funeral of a PKK fighter in Nuseybin. Protestors were fired upon by Turkish troops, over 700 were arrested.
- March 15, 1990, about 15,000 protestors in CizreCizreCizre is a town and district of Şırnak Province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, located at the border to Syria, just to the north-west of the Turkish-Syrian-Iraqi tripoint....
clashed with police. 5 protestors were killed, 80 injured and 155 arrested. A total of 200 were arrested that day. - March 21, 1990, widespread protests in all South-Eastern cities in connection with NowruzNowruzNowrūz is the name of the Iranian New Year in Iranian calendars and the corresponding traditional celebrations. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year....
. - June 2, 1990, during a march by 2000 Iraqi Kurdish refugees, clashes with security forces resulted in the injury of a policeman and five protestors
- March 2, 1991, over 1000 rioters fought the Turkish military with stones and sticks in Diyarbakir. One soldier and two protestors were injured, another soldier and two protestors were killed.
- March 7, 1991, nearly 2,000 Kurdish villagers marching in DargecitDargeçitDargeçit is a district of the Mardin Province of Turkey, traditionally an Assyrian/Syriac town. It had approximately 300 families in 1900. After the "Seyfo" in 1916, many were killed. It was inhabited by the Assyrians/Syriacs, Kurds and Armenians...
were fired on by police. Rioting erupted in which many were injured and 100 were arrested. - March 9, 1991, over 1,000 protestors including members of the HEP protested against the killing of a woman by police during a riot.
- March 15, 1991, police fired at over 1,000 protestors, injuring many and arresting over 200.
- March 20, 1991, Turkey allowed Nowruz to be celebrated openly for the first time. Despite this, riots erupted in many villages in which police fired at protestors.
- July 10, 1991, police clashed with over 25,000 protestors who were shouting pro-PKK slogans at the funeral of assassinated HEP chairman Vedat Aydin. 12 were killed and 122 wounded.
- November 27, 1991, more than 1,500 shops were closed in BismilBismilBismil is a district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. The population is 56,887 . The mayor is Cemile Eminoğlu .-Brief History:...
and IdilIdilİdil is a district of Şırnak Province of Turkey. The predominant religion in the region is Islam, although it was once the home of many Anatolian Assyrian/Syriac Christians, who are part of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch and who were speakers of the Syriac language an Aramaic dialect...
to mark the PKK's 13th anniversary. - December 10, 1991, 5,000 students in DiyarbakirDiyarbakirDiyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
boycotted classes in protest of the killing of a fellow student by Turkish security forces. - February 21, 1992, some 70 rioters clashed with Turkish police in MardinMardinMardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for its Arabic-like architecture, and for its strategic location on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of northern Syria.-History:...
, one protestor was killed and two were injured. - March 21, 1992, in an event later known as "bloody newroz" tens of thousands of Kurds took to the streets all over Turkey to celebrate Nowruz and clashed with the military. Reports indicated that President Suleyman DemirelSüleyman DemirelSami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel, better known as Süleyman Demirel , is a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister seven times and was the ninth President of Turkey.-Life:Demirel was born in İslamköy, a town in Isparta Province...
ordered the military not to attack civilians, however the army refused to obey these orders and attacked the protests. In several towns including ŞırnakSirnakŞırnak is a town in southeastern Turkey. It is the capital of Şırnak Province, a new province that split from the Hakkari province...
and KulpKulp, TurkeyKulp is a district of Diyarbakır Province in Turkey. The population is 10,119 as of 2010....
, the demonstrators were bombed by airraids. In Sirnak, were between 500 to 1,500 PKK fighters entered the town to fight the police, the security forces went on a rampage for 22 hours in which most of the town was destroyed. At least 102 civilians were killed during by the security forces, at least 26 of which in Sirnak, 29 in Cizre, 14 in Nusaybin, 1 in İzmirIzmirIzmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
and 2 in AdanaAdanaAdana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
. At least 1 soldier and 1 policeman were killed by rioters. Also numerous journalists were killed as the military set fire to them. Over 200 people were injured and over 2,000 were arrested. - April 6, 1992, 60 protestors were arrested in MersinMersin-Mersin today:Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper , huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban...
because the government classified the protests as illegal. - August 15–16, 1992, thousands of shops were closed and protests erupted all over the South-East to mark the 8th anniversary of the PKK's armed campaign. At least 5 protestors were killed and 130 arrested.
- March 21, 1993, in accordance with a PKK-government cease-fire, Nowruz celebrations were not attacked by the military. Several minor protests were however broken up.
- August 14, 1993, police forces opened fire at a Kurdish protest in DigorDigorDigor may refer to:* Digor , a traditional sport in Bhutan* Digor dialect, a dialect of the Ossetic language* Digor, Kars, a district in Turkey's Kars Province* Digor , a sub-division of the Ossetians....
, killing 10 and wounding 51 protestors. - August 3, 1994, Kurds protested the trial of 6 Democracy PartyDemocracy PartyDemocracy Party was a pro-Kurdish political party in Turkey. It was founded in May 1993 by several prominent members of the People's Labor Party . The party became divided over the issue of the PKK, two factions - moderate and radical - appeared. Due to the promotion of Kurdish nationalism the...
politicians, for treason. - May 19, 1995, over 1,000 Kurds demonstrate against the killing of a Kurd by allegedly Turkish government linked death squads.
- February 15, 1999, massive riots broke out in all major cities of the country as Kurds protested Abdullah Ocalan's arrest. Over 1,000 protesters were arrested during clashes with security forces.
- March 21, 1999, large unrest broke out on Nowruz and police put the South-East under a virtual state of siege. Over 1,500 people were arrested across the country in relation to the protests.
- February 21, 2000, in Diyarbakir, 1,500 people rallied to protest the detention of three Kurdish mayors by the Turkish regime.
- November 25, 2000, Turkish police prevented hundreds of Kurds from going to Ankara for a protest.
- February 3, 2001, 60 demonstrators are arrested in SiirtSiirt- External links :* * * *...
for protesting against the mysterious disappearance of HADEPPeople's Democracy PartyPeople’s Democracy Party was a Kurdish nationalist political party in Turkey. It was founded in May 1994 by lawyer Murat Bozlak. The party adopted a moderate course and kept its distance from the issue of the PKK....
, party workers on January 25. - February 5, 2001, 16 activists are detained during protests in Batman, against the disappearance of HADEP members on January 15.
- February 6, 2001, during a sixth day of protests, police break up crowds in Diyarbakir.
- February 15, 2001, police arrest over 100 people in demonstrations marking the second anniversary of Abdullah Ocalan's capture.
- March 21, 2001, over 100 people are arrested during Nowruz celebrations in IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. - July 28, 2001, during a festival in Tunceli, police tried to prevent a HADEP politician from addressing the crowd. The crowd responded by pelting police with stones, resulting in the injury of 8 policemen and 1 member of the crowd.
- August 31, 2001, thousands gathered in Diyarbakir to travel to Ankara to celebrate World Peace Day on September 1. Turkish authorities however tried to prevent them from entering busses and clashes erupted in which 19 people were injured.
- January 25, 2002, a demonstration was staged in Siirt marking the 1 year anniversary of the disappearance of 2 HADEP politicians. Police tried to break up the crowd and during clashes 4 policemen and 4 demonstrators were injured, 70 people were arrested.
- March 21, 2002, in Diyarbakir thousands of Kurdish youth clash with police as authorities banned public Nowruz celebrations that year. 2 protesters were crushed to death during a police crackdown in Mersin.
- March 27, 2002, over 1,000 people including HADEP members marched to sent a symbolical fax to parliament in Kurdish, calling on the parliament to legalize the use of the Kurdish language. Over 100, including several senior HADEP politicians were arrested during the march.
- June 22, 2005, Turkish police opened automatic gun-fire on 250 stone-throwing Kurdish protesters who tried to reclaim the bodies of 2 killed PKK-rebels. One protester was killed and seven people, including 2 journalists were injured.
- November 20, 2005, 12 Kurdish demonstrators are detained after hurling Molotov cocktails and stones at police in Istanbul.
- November 21, 2005, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoganRecep Tayyip ErdoganRecep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
came to the Kurdish Southeast of Turkey to urge protestors to calm down, after weeks of rioting. He promised the protestors that his government would investigate charges that the Turkish Deep stateDeep stateThe Deep state is alleged to be a group of influential anti-democratic coalitions within the Turkish political system, composed of high-level elements within the intelligence services , Turkish military, security, judiciary, and mafia. The notion of deep state is similar to that of a "state within...
and not Kurdish guerillas, were responsible for a recent, fatal, bombing. In the two weeks of rioting, a total of 4 protesters were killed. - November 22, 2005, during protests, a gunman opened fire at a primary school, killing a teacher and injuring 4 people.
- February 15, 2006, protestors armed with stones and firebombs battled police all over the southeast to mark the 7th anniversary of Abdullah Ocalan's capture.
- March 21, 2006, over 100,000 Kurds came out in the streets celebrating Nowruz. During these celebrations they had pro-PKK slogals and called for the release of Abdullah Ocalan.
- March 28, 2006, thousands of rioters rampaged at the funeral of 14 Kurdish guerrillas that had been killed by the Turkish military on March 25. The rioters hurled firebombs at police and police vehicle, they also smashed the windows of policestations. Over 40 people were injured, including 2 policemen who were stabbed by rioters and 2 were killed during the riots.
- March 29, 2006, during a second day of riots police used water canons and pepper spray against protestors. An official said that 3 people had been killed and 250 had been injured, that day.
- March 30, 2006, over 20 people were injured in a third day of rioting, during which rioters hurled firebombs at the police and police opened fire on the crowds.
- March 31, 2006, a bomb explosion during riots in Istanbul left 1 dead and 13 injured. A total of 500 were injured during these 48 hours.
- April 1, 2006, fresh clashes erupted between protestors and security forces, which left 1 protestor dead and over 10 people injured. A total of 268 protestors had been arrested by April 1.
- April 2, 2006, during the sixth day of violence, a protestor was killed in the southeast as police opened fire to disperse crowds. In Istanbul a group of men poored gasoline into a bus and set it on fire as they pushed the vehicle into pedestrians, killing 3 people. The total death toll from March 28 to April 2 rose to 15.
- March 21, 2007, violence broke out during Nowruz celebrations. Over 100,000 people attended the celebrations in Diyarbakir and over 50,000 in Istanbul, where students unveiled a large portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, while the crowds chanted "Real democracy or nothing." In Mersin, over 1,000 Kurdish youths clashed with the police, while in İzmir a protester hit a bus with a molotov cocktail, setting the vehicle ablaze. Two busses were pelted with stones and sticks in Istanbul, injuring several passengers. At least 22 protesters were detained.
- November 2, 2007, over 5,000 Kurds protested in Turkey against a possible incursion into IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's Kurdistan Region. - February 15, 2008, thousands of Kurds fought police in the southeast on the 9th anniversary of Abdullah Ocalan's capture.
- March 21, 2008, clashes erupted between Kurds celebrating Nowruz and security forces as Kurdish crowds chanted pro-PKK slogans. Over 200,000 PKK-supporters took part in the demonstrations in Diyarbakir, Van and Yüksekova.
- March 22, 2008, dozens of people are arrested and detained in a second day of protests as police use truncheons and tear gass on protestors.
- March 24, 2008, a fourth day of protests in Turkey leaves a total toll of 2 protesters killed, 38 protesters and 15 policemen injured and 130 protesters arrested.
- October 20, 2008, demonstrations were staged by Kursd all over Turkey after allegations than Abdullah Ocalan was being mistreated in prison. One demonstrator was killed in clashes with Turkish security forces. In Sirnak, 129 people were detained and in Yukesova, 10 wer detained. Among the detainees were over 50 minors, who were charged for terrorism, due to the ethnic nationalisticEthnic nationalismEthnic nationalism is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. Whatever specific ethnicity is involved, ethnic nationalism always includes some element of descent from previous generations and the implied claim of ethnic essentialism, i.e...
character of the demonstrations. - February 15, 2009, Turkish police clashed with stone-throwing demonstrators, marking the 10-year anniversary of Abdullah Ocalan's capture. The protests occurred mainly in DiyarbakirDiyarbakirDiyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
were 5,000 protestors took the streets. A total of 71 people, including 20 police officers were injured and 191 people were arrested during the protests. - April 20, 2009, several civil society organisations demonstrated in front of the DTP's headquarters in AnkaraAnkaraAnkara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, against the recent arrest of DTP members. Police arrested 50 of the protestors - March 29, 2009, Kurds protested the Turkish local elections, 2009Turkish local elections, 2009Turkey held local elections on 29 March 2009. The overal winner was the ruling party Justice and Development Party, although the party saw a decline in its vote relative to the 2007 general election...
. - August 5, 2009, Kurdish demonstrators clashed with police in Diyarbakir, injuring one policeman as police were pelted with molotov cocktails and stones. 11 demonstrators were arrested.
- November 27–December 1, 2009, there are four days of violent protests on the 31st anniversary of the foundation of the PKK.
- December 6, 2009, over 15,000 protesters gathered in Diyarbakir to demonstrate against the alleged mistreatment of Abdullah Ocalan in Turkish jail. 1 protester was killed and 2 were injured as police opened fire on the protests, an additional 113 people were arrested at the protests.Two people were also injured during protests in YuksekovaYüksekovaYüksekova is a district of Hakkari Province of Turkey, situated close to the border with Iran. Its location on the trade route between Iranian Azarbaijan and eastern Turkey made it an important juncture for travelers and the location of several ethnic groups that were active in regional trade....
. - December 12, 2009, large scale protests break out all over the southeast in response to the banning of the DTPDemocratic Society PartyThe Democratic Society Party was a Kurdish Kurdish nationalist political party in Turkey. The party considered itself social democratic, and had observer status in the Socialist International. It was considered to be the successor of the Democratic People's Party...
by Turkey's supreme court. Protesters through rocks and firebombs at the police. During protests in VanVan, TurkeyVan is a city in southeastern Turkey and the seat of the Kurdish-majority Van Province, and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The city's official population in 2010 was 367,419, but many estimates put this as much higher with a 1996 estimate stating 500,000 and former Mayor Burhan...
, a young girl and five policemen were hospitalised, this included a police chief. Over 20 demonstrators were detained in Van. In HakkâriHakkariHakkâri , is a city and the capital of the Hakkâri Province of Turkey. The name Hakkâri is derived from the Syriac word, Akkare, meaning farmers...
protesters tried to lynch a police chief and a police officer who were saved by DTP managers. In BeytüşşebapBeytüssebapBeytüşşebap is a district of Şırnak Province of Turkey....
and Cizre, protests continued into the late night. Protesters in Beytüşşebap threw molotov cocktails at the post office, bank offices and the local governor's house. In Cizre they blocked the road to the Habur Customs Gate on the Iraqi border, at night until police intervened. In Istanbul's SultangaziSultangaziSultangazi is one of Istanbul's new districts. It was founded in 2008 for "New Local Government Law" in Istanbul, Turkey.Esenler and Başakşehir are at west, Gaziosmanpaşa is at south, and Eyüp is at north and east. Gaziosmanpaşa district were the divided to three districts, Sultangazi is one of...
and Başakşehir districts over 200 demonstrators closed traffic by throwing stones at cars and buses. - December 13, 2009, angry crowds of Turkish NationalistsTurkish nationalismTurkish nationalism is a political ideology that promotes and glorifies the Turkish people, as either a national, ethnic or linguistic group and puts the interests of the state over other influences, including religious ones.-Pan-Turkism:...
and Kurdish NationalistsKurdish nationalismKurdish nationalism is the political movement that holds that the Kurdish people are a nation deserving of a sovereign homeland, Kurdistan out of the territories where Kurdish people form a majority...
clashed in IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
during a second day of pro-DTP protests. During street battles at least 1 person was killed from gunshot wounds. - December 14, 2009, at least 3 Kurdish protestors are shot dead and 7 are injured in BulanıkBulanikBulanık is a town and district of Muş Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The current mayor is Ziya Akkaya . He is under governor Ferit Görükmez Kaymakamı....
during a third day of protests. - March 21, 2010, over 50,000 Kurds gathered to celebrate Nowruz. The crowd chanted slogans like "Democratic solution or democratic resistance" and "Blood for blood, we are with you Ocalan."
- November 12, 2010, thousands demonstrated in Diyarbakir against the KCKKoma Civakên KurdistanKoma Civakên Kurdistan is a Kurdish organization founded by Abdullah Öcalan as formerly named Koma Komalên Kurdistan to put in practice his ideology of democratic confederalism.Abdullah Öcalan is the group's honorary leader , however due to his...
trial, as Peace and Democracy PartyPeace and Democracy PartyThe Peace and Democracy Party ) is a political party in the Republic of Turkey. It succeeded the Democratic Society Party following the closure of the latter party for its alleged connections with the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU.The BDP has observer status in the...
chairman Selahattin DemirtaşSelahattin DemirtaşSelahattin Demirtaş is a Turkish-speaking pro-Kurdish politician whose parent speak Zazaki language. He became the chairman of Peace and Democracy Party in January 2010....
addressed the crowd. - A total of 3,706 people were detained in the Kurdish protinces during 2010
- January 13, 2011, protests were held against the trial of 152 Kurdish activists, during which protesters hurled firebombs and stones at the police and police fired water canons and tear gas at the protestors.
- January 14, 2011, thousands protested in Diyarbakır, Cizre, BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Hakkâri and ŞırnakSirnakŞırnak is a town in southeastern Turkey. It is the capital of Şırnak Province, a new province that split from the Hakkari province...
against police brutality against protesters on January 13. Some 8,000 protestors had gathered in Diyarbakir's central square and they were joined by another 10,000 people for a protest march. Protesters clashed with police in front of the courthouse were Kurdish politicians were being trialed. Police tried to set up a barricade, which demonstrators attacked with fireworks and molotov cocktails, police responded with tear gas. - February 15, 2011, Over 20,000 people demonstrated in Diyarbakir, Van and ErganiErganiErgani, formerly known as Arghni or Arghana, is a district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. The mayor is Fesih Yalçın .-Çayönü:Near the village of Sesverenpınar, among the Hilar rocks Çayönü hill was first settled in c. 7500 BC, and was continuously inhabited until 5000 BC...
on the 12th anniversary of the capture of Ocalan. Authorities arrested 19 BDP members in response to the protests for "violating the law on Demonstrations and Protests" and "making propaganda for an illegal organization." In Diyarbakir police used tear gas to prevent some 2,000 protesters from marching to the city's central square, at least one policeman and one protester were injured during the clashes and over 20 protesters were arrested. Some 30 demonstrators were arrested in Batman and another 50 were arrested in Hakkâri, Van and SanliurfaSanliurfaŞanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language , in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language (Syriac ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323...
. In Diyarbakir the body was found of 17-year-old student who set himself on fire, after Mohamed BouaziziMohamed BouaziziMohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation that he reported was inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides...
set himself onf fire, sparking the Tunisian RevolutionTunisian revolutionThe Tunisian Revolution is an intensive campaign of civil resistance, including a series of street demonstrations taking place in Tunisia. The events began in December 2010 and led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011...
and revolutions throughout the Arab world. - February 17, 2011, 3,000 demonstrators clashed with police in Diyarbakir, 46 of which were arrested due to acts of violence.
- February 18, 2011, 20,000 Kurds marched Diyarbakir against police brutality. The march, heading towards Koşuyolu Park however conflict arose after police attacked the March in Bayramoglu district. Several protesters were injured and 6 teenagers, with blood stains on their face were arrested by the police.
- March 21, 2011, BDP-activists gathered 10,000s of people for a Nowruz rally in Diayrbakir. Police surrounded the rally and then stormed it forcing hundreds of people to flee. During the crackdown against protests, the police covered nearly the entire city in a layer of teargas, resulting in many people collapsing while running away from the tear gas. Organisers claim a total of 500,000 people participated in the protests nationwide.
- March 24, 2011, over 3,000 Kurds gathered for a civil disobedience campaign called for by the BDP. At least 70 of them were arrested by Turkish authorities. During the protest they demanded education in Kurdish, the release of all jailed PKK members and political prisoners, end all military operations against Kurds and lift the 10% election threshold.
- March 28, over 40,000 Kurds came from all over Turkey to march to Kasapderesi mass-graves in the Siirt provinceSiirt ProvinceSiirt Province is a province of Turkey, located in the southeast. The province borders Bitlis to the north, Batman to the west, Mardin to the southwest, Şırnak to the south, and Van to the east. It has an area of 5,406 km² and a total population of 300,695...
, where the bodies of 200 Kurds killed by the Turkish Deep StateDeep stateThe Deep state is alleged to be a group of influential anti-democratic coalitions within the Turkish political system, composed of high-level elements within the intelligence services , Turkish military, security, judiciary, and mafia. The notion of deep state is similar to that of a "state within...
had been dumped. The march was organised to be on the same day as the 25 anniversary of the death of Mahsun Korkmaz, who was the first commander of the PKK's military forces and was killed by Turkish forces in 1986. The protesters were barred from entering the city of SiirtSiirt- External links :* * * *...
as police barricaded the roads and scattered the protestors, using tear gas. - April 19-April 20, 2011, two days of major rioting, which continued on April 21, broke out in response to the banning of 12 Kurdish politicians from the 2011 parliamentary elections. In the first day an 18 year old protestor was killed by police, during the second day over 30,000 people attended his funeral in Batman, which resulted in major riots against the police. In Van, protestors hurled molotov cocktails at police stations in response to the killing. A total of 16 people were arrested during the protests.
- April 21, 2011, as a crowd of some 800 protestors clashed with security forces in Diyarbakir, one protestor was killed as police opened fire on the crowd with live rounds.
- April 26, 2011, the pro-Kurdish BD Party, held a march which was attended by over 20,000 protestors.
- May 14, 2011, a rally was held by Kurdish and left-wing Turkish parties in Diyarbakir's İstasyon Square. Over 50,000 people attended the rally. The crowds chanted slogans in favour of a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.
- May 16, 2011, protests were held in Istanbul by supporters of the BDP, against the military operations. BDP candidates Sabahat Tuncel and Sırrı Süreyya Önder attended the demonstrations. When protesters attempted to hold a peaceful march, they were attacked by riot police, which used tear gas, this resulted in riots in which the protesters pelted police with bottles, rocks and fireworks. In Diyarbakir almost all shops and businesses were closed as a protests. The CHP also closed their election office in Diyarbakir.
- May 18, 2011, Kurdish protests occurred all over the country, in ŞanlıurfaSanliurfaŞanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language , in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language (Syriac ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323...
9 protesters were arrested for singing a PKK march song, in Istanbul 15 masked men threw rocks and molotov cocktails at a municipality bus. In Van over 1,000 people held a march to protest the deaths of 12 PKK members, led by the city's Kurdish mayor. Further demonstrations were held in Şırnak, Batman and İzmir. A total of 2,506 Kurdish protesters had been detaiend from March 21 to May 18, 308 were injured and at least 2 were killed. - May 21, 2011, when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Hakkâri, groups of Kurds came out to protest his visit. Majority of the city's shop-keepers closed their stores as a form of protest against the Prime Minister. Erdoğan refused to acknowledge the people were protesting him, blaming the city's mayor Fadıl Bedirhanoğlu for allegedly forcing people to protest him by fining those who didn't. Less than 1,000 people attended Erdoğan's speech, while 2 days later, much larger crowds attended a rally of opposition leader Kemal KılıçdaroğluKemal KiliçdarogluKemal Kılıçdaroğlu is a Turkish social democrat politician. He is currently leader of the Republican People's Party and Leader of the Main Opposition in Turkey. He has been the Member of Parliament for İstanbul since 2002....
, who criticised Erdoğan's allegations against the mayor and promised to get rid of the 10% threshold and give autonomy to local Kurdish authorities. - May 22, 2011, over 30,000 mourners attended a funeral of PKK fighter Ramazan Terzioğlu in Hakkâri. The mayors of HakkâriHakkariHakkâri , is a city and the capital of the Hakkâri Province of Turkey. The name Hakkâri is derived from the Syriac word, Akkare, meaning farmers...
, YüksekovaYüksekovaYüksekova is a district of Hakkari Province of Turkey, situated close to the border with Iran. Its location on the trade route between Iranian Azarbaijan and eastern Turkey made it an important juncture for travelers and the location of several ethnic groups that were active in regional trade....
, ŞemdinliSemdinliŞemdinli is a district located in the Hakkari Province of southeastern Turkey.The population is 11,211 as of 2010.It was previously in the Ottoman vilayet of Van and the district centre was called Nevşehir...
, ÇukurcaÇukurcaÇukurca is a district of Hakkari Province of Turkey. The mayor is Mehmet Kanar . The population is 5283 as of 2010....
and Esendere all attended the funeral and BDP parliamentary candidate Esat Canan spoke at the funeral. After the funeral the crowds set up barricades and started a major fire. Riot-police attacked the protesters with tear gas and high-pressure water canons. There were two explosions during the protest but they did not cause any injuries. - May 27, 2011, thirty demonstrators closed the İdil highway to traffic with barricades and threw a molotov cocktail at a student dormitory of an Islamist school in Cizre, Şırnak, injuring 3 students. Seven demonstrators were arrested by Turkish authorities as Erdoğan blamed the BDP and PKK, claiming these Kurdish parties want to kill children.
- August 28, 2011, thousands of people from 16 different provinces marched towards the Turkish-Iraqi border in protest of a Turkish bombing campaign targetting PKK bases. The protesters were attacked by police, which used tear gas resulting in the death of Yildirim Ayhan, a member of Van provinceVan ProvinceVan Province is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. It is 19,069 km2 in area and had a population of 1,035,418 at the end of 2010....
's provincial assembly, who was taking part in the protests.